


A Reason To Stay

by Frostwells



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Romance, Snowells, post 02x15
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 03:24:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6498904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostwells/pseuds/Frostwells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events that transpired on Earth-2, Harrison and Caitlin seek comfort in each other. But what if being just friends isn’t enough for her? For the both of them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Reason To Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys!! This is just a small Snowells fic in celebrating making my own AO3 account. For those who aren’t aware, I’m a beta-user for Arkadie, and I occasionally post random fanfics I wrote on her account. Please enjoy!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I DON’T NOT OWN THE FLASH. IF I DID, SNOWELLS WOULD’VE BECAME CANON.  
> CLAIMER: WHAT I DO OWN ARE ANY SPELLING MISTAKES.

It was over. Team Flash rescued Jesse, the portals to the alternate universe sealed off, closing the chapter on this particular incident for good.

It was later that evening, dinner had been eaten and a couple of glasses of wine drunk but neither Caitlin nor Harrison had spoken much. The pressure and stress of finding Zoom and Jesse had been the defining event during his stay at S.T.A.R. Labs and now that it was over, the atmosphere changed. No longer a powder keg of high pressure, but rather an awkward silence dragging on.

They had moved to the sofa in the lounge after an evening of dinner and Caitlin put a film in that neither of them were paying much attention to. In the weeks following of the death of Jay Garrick, Harry had developed a habit of sitting with his arm around Caitlin, trying to calm her nerves just by the gentle touch of his fingers resting on her shoulder. Same with Harry and his daughter, Caitlin stayed at the labs, although in different rooms.

As time showed that she was no longer mourning over Jay’s death, he seemed to be doing it less and less. Caitlin couldn’t help but miss the warmth his body provided her when she was wrapped in his arm.

He wasn’t doing it this evening and she found herself wishing desperately he would. Perhaps, it would ease this new tension building up around them. Their thoughts were identical –  _‘what do we do now?_

At work, they had been nothing more but scientists trying to help each other out; biochemist to technologist. Clearly defined roles. During his stay with them, Caitlin had taken on the job of providing moral support for Harry, again, a clearly defined role. Now they were two adults, neither with a job. The rescue was over and they had no idea what they were to each other.

Caitlin broke the silence with a sigh and stood up. “I guess I should start getting everything sorted,”

“Get what sorted?”

“My things. I think I can brave myself to get back to my apartment now.” She paused at the end of the corridor, hopefully waiting for Harry to say something – anything to call her back. The silence continued, however, and her heart sank as she walked to her room.

Harry sat back in the lounge, twirling a glass of wine round in his fingers and watching the light flicker through it. Never lost for words before, he honestly didn’t know what to say now. She obviously wanted to stay but needed a reason from him to do so, and she wasn’t in need of a supportive shoulder any longer.

 _She is also 18 years your junior,_ he grimly thought. His mind drifted through the past months; inbetween the drama of Zoom, there had been a number of genuinely happy moments – the nights they spent debating over sciences and then disagreeing on what movie was the best Star Wars. Sitting up with her when she came back from a girl’s night out and just drinking tea into the small hours.

Just last weekend, he’d been smiling as he played cards with her and Jesse and ending up wrestling her across the sofa -  _And you spent the next few minutes trying to quietly talk down the fucking erection that gave you._

Thankfully, nobody had noticed. Although he hadn’t liked the smug look that Jesse had given him afterwards.  _My fucking daughter knows you’re in love with Caitlin._

There it was; the reason. He wanted Caitlin to stay, wanted the intense flirting they’d been doing to turn into something more, wanted her warm pliant body next to him in his bed…

“Fuck it,” he muttered and drained the wine glass.

 

—–

 

Caitlin was just picking up the last of her makeup when she heard Harry’s footsteps echoing down the hallway. She didn’t need to turn around to know he was standing in the doorway – she could feel his gaze washing over her back. He cleared his throat.

“Can we talk?”

She wiped a betraying tear from her face and turned around to face him. “We’ve talked for hours before and always you’ve shed away from this. How are you going to say what you want when you can’t even ask for it?”

“Stay.”

As much as her heart leapt at hearing Harry say that one word, Caitlin knew it wasn’t enough. If he couldn’t provide her with a reason, then they would just continue this dance around each other and quite frankly she’d had enough. “That’s not enough anymore, Harry, and you know it isn’t.”

He walked across the room from the doorway to stand close to her, not touching but fixing her with his most intense gaze. “Stay.”

“Why?”

He took a step closer so they were standing almost toe to toe on the soft carpet.

“Stay,” he repeated.

All patience snapped and Caitlin practically shouted, “Tell me why!”

In a movement that even took him by surprise, he took her face in both hands, tilted it upward and kissed her softly, gently. She sighed as he drew back to gauge her reaction. If he had got this wrong..

“That’s why,” he took his hands away from her and let them fall to his sides. “because I can’t imagine this place without you. Because I need you.”

Caitlin looked up at him through twinkling eyes and smiled. “Took you long enough.”

She pulled him down by the strings of his hoodie for another kiss.


End file.
